July 31, 2007

Tancredo: Bribery Will Get You Anywhere

The single-issue candidate, Tom Tancredo, has apparently taken to bribing his own supporters to get votes at the upcoming Ames straw poll.

Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo promised a package of gifts, including an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington and a tour of the Capitol, to anyone who brought 25 people to the GOP straw poll in Iowa on Aug. 11.

This isn’t t-shirts, bumper stickers, books or steak knives, but an all expenses paid trip to D.C. I wonder who’s going to pay for it. But there’s nothing wrong with this, right? Heh.

There was one problem with the pitch — a tour of the Capitol could be a violation of House ethics rules which prohibit the use of any buildings on the Capitol grounds for campaign purposes.

Uh oh.

Scrambling to explain, the Colorado lawmaker’s campaign said it was just a spelling error.

Yeah, right. So what’s the damage control spin. We want details. A spelling error, you say?

Bay Buchanan, Tancredo’s national chairwoman, said Tuesday she meant supporters would get a tour of the capital city — spelled with an ‘a’ — which could also include a “public tour” of the Capitol building — spelled with an ‘o’ — in which Tancredo would go along and point out some highlights.

Worst spin ever. Besides, Capitol is capitalized, capital is not.

Other fabulous prizes include a set of patio furniture, an easy chair, a used paper towel and a broken jack-in-the box. Or you can trade in your prize for whatever’s in the box of mystery.

Bribing his way to the Presidency. It kinda cheapens the dignity of the office, wouldn’t you say?